Welcome to the UK Sommelier Association

"Wine is the most civilized thing in the world", Ernest Hemingway.

Since 2005 The UK Sommelier Association, has been providing professional sommelier courses built on the foundations and the principles of the Italian Sommelier Association (AIS), which itself has offered wine education since 1965.

With such heritage and culture in its genes, founded by dedicated and passionate sommeliers, and with expert and qualified mentoring by accredited wine professionals, Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, we have become synonymous with passing on the art of ‘sommelierie’, along with knowledge for a greater appreciation of fine wines and spirits among those for whom wine is a delight.

Based in Central London, we hold our acclaimed 5 month course in prestigious boutique hotels and food & wine academies. We create a relaxed and informal atmosphere, where we offer you a complete journey in wine, beers, spirits and sake, culminating with wine & food pairing tuition. This is all designed for passionate wine professionals who desire a career change, seeking to advance in their careers, or those simply wishing to deepen their enjoyment of wine.

But it doesn't stop there! Once you have graduated with your internationally recognised diploma, we take great pride in finding employment opportunities for our most dedicated students, providing the perfect platform for fast-track career progression, with our continued support throughout.

Our courses take you on a complete journey starting at the sommeliers table and their tasks.You'll then learn in great depth from our Master of Wine lecturers about the vineyards, the work that goes into to carrying for them, to ensure great wines!

Then your geographic journey begins as we take you around the globe, discovering about the wonderful and amazing wines being produced in the Old and New World, tasting over 100 amazing wines.New this year we will be introducing a Sake masterclass. Unveiling the art of sake making and tasting, drawing on the know-how of the one of the most revered Sake educators in the United Kingdom. The master class offers you an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the history and craftsmanship behind sake, flavour profiles as well as ideal sake pairings with various food choices.

Finally, we will then start with the part of the course that sets us apart from everyone else.Of course a sommelier needs to know his wine, but he too needs to understand food! We will look at the characteristics of food and wine, guide you on how to find the best matching, and also teaching you not so great pairings, to understand why.

Build the foundation for a lifetime of wine appreciation; evaluate wine, journey through the world's important growing regions. Also, learn how grape-growing and wine-making decisions impact wine.

The journey from grape to bottle is defined by two very important processes, beginning with life in the vineyard. The best grapes will thrive in good vintages, influenced by the very soil they grow in. But what happens next is as important – learn all about the entire process.

The Course

If you've had a perfect pairing, you've experienced magic. In this course, you'll learn strategies to maximize your chances of making good or even great matches. You'll develop a thorough understanding of why many combinations work, and why some don't.